New Tumble Dryer

I have a new to me tumble dryer, courtesy of my older brother. I am very grateful indeed. As much as I can I have been drying washing outside or on an airer indoors. My normal rule has been everything is either on the line or on the airer except socks and bedding. I think, however, I may struggle with that now.

The weather is definitely not co-operating at the moment when it comes to drying outside. I have had some spectacular drying days, and some very poor ones. Due to the odd way that the street is laid out, between around November and February the line doesn't actually get sunshine except near midday, the shadows falling across the garden are too long. I can do a humungous wash the previous evening and overnight and hang it out and hope, but it isn't guaranteed.

I also have a washer dryer, but I am not currently as organised as I need to be to keep up with things. I am currently working on losing about half the clothes we have. OH has at least 20 work shirts, but some of them are becoming a bit thin and frail, and they need to retire - they are quite a lot older than little bear. I feel (clutterbust head on) that the less we have, then the less cluttered things are, and the less things like ironing and washing can pile up and the more room for all sorts of good things. I definitely feel that for little bear, as his polo shirts are, as I have mentioned, already looking a bit short. I could buy him twenty polo shirts, but they wouldn't last a full term. I am looking to have five at a time, and the same of trousers and sweaters. My clothes are definitely a bit limited, so not so much clearing out to do.

However if I get rid of clothes I will have to wash more often, or rather, I will be less able to pick and choose when I wash. If I have twenty shirts for OH and the weather is bad, I can hold off washing for a little while as he works through the shirts. If he has only six or seven then I may have to wash before the weather gets better. And little bear must have clean clothes for school.

At the moment, every week I wash five sets of school clothes for little bear (needed!), and five work shirts for OH (clean every day to give me a chance with the collars). Underwear is clean every day, of course, so that is added to the pile. I have the martial arts kit to wash, and the clothes that I get little bear to change into after school. Darling father is careful how he looks and likes to look nice, so I am happy to be washing quite a few changes of clothing from him. Then of course my stuff goes in, along with the casual stuff that OH wears at the weekend. Add in towels and bedding for us all and there is quite a pile. Having a separate tumble dryer will make things a lot quicker if the weather isn't kind. I am speaking as someone who was waiting up until 1am to make sure little bear's uniform would be fit for school the next day not so long ago.

Of course, adding the extra cost to the environment and the cost to the electricity bill isn't comforting. I shall be being careful how I work things. The washer dryer has a very high efficiency rating, I am not sure about the tumble dryer, so I will try and plan ahead. However if I have less clothes then I think it will be easier for me to keep track of stuff and easier for me to know where I am.